John Boyega Approves of Finn/Poe Fan Fiction

John Boyega has said he doesn’t mind people writing fan-fiction about his Star Wars character, Finn, and X-Wing pilot, Poe Dameron. Boyega made his Star Wars debut alongside Oscar Isaac in The Force Awakens, and though a romantic interest in Rey was hinted at, many fans were far more invested in the budding bromance between Finn and Poe. Their deep friendship is understandable; Poe rescues Finn and he no longer has to be a Stormtrooper. Then, when Poe’s X-Wing crash lands, Finn assumes Poe is dead. At that point, he takes ownership of Poe’s jacket, something he later returns, along with a very hearty hug, when the pair eventually reunite. He also keeps BB-8 by his side, again until they find Poe once more.

The pair undeniably share great chemistry, but some of the more fervent Finn and Poe fans, or shippers, as is the correct phrase, want to see their friendship turn to romance. So far, that hasn’t happened. Never say never, of course, and an openly gay couple in the Star Wars franchise really would be something, but in the meantime, there’s always fan-fiction. The stars who portray characters that end up being the subjects of erotic and explicit fanfiction, often like to distance themselves from it, but not Boyega.

In fact, speaking to Variety at D23, he said he’s “open and free to anyone having their expression of art.” You can watch the video of Boyega saying just that, below:

Boyega’s words will no doubt anger some, but they will also mean a great deal to many, who spend many hours crafting detailed stories involving characters they feel inspired by. The idea of a Finn and Poe romance clearly has an appeal to some, and if fans want to fill in those missing gaps, it’s nice to know that one of the actors in question doesn’t have an issue with it. The Internet is full of weird and wonderful fanfiction with pairings some people would never even dream possible, and some that people would love to see, such as Rey and Kylo Ren, for example. Just because it’s out there doesn’t mean we all have to read it, but arguably, an actor saying he’s comfortable with being the subject of a gay pairing in fan-fiction will inspire many to keep, or even to start, writing.

Meanwhile, looking ahead to The Last Jedi, and no hints have been dropped concerning any kind of romance at all, between anyone. Could Poe and Finn take that step? Who knows? Maybe director Rian Johnson will surprise us all and bring in a love interest for Chewbacca, instead. Think of the fan-fiction that could spawn…